Sudden change of plans and a New Year Project

Today 28th December is exactly 10 weeks since Charlie had his KS op. That is week 6 of lungeing following 4 weeks box rest and working in hand.. I cannot believe how fast it has gone.

I have just looked at my last post 3 weeks ago how much has changed. The big lad continues to find me a source of entertainment and trot poles are easy peasy. He works well in the Pessoa and is starting to find is right bend as well as left.

Carrot stretches as recommended by his physio Grace Fairburn are getting easier and I still have my own fingers. The little bugger is now, however, begging to stretch if I adjust the girth strap on the Pessoa a head comes round attached to an enormous pair of flapping lips with a carrot glint in his eye. The stretches are definitely improving his flexibility.

You are double booked

It's lesson day groundwork has now been added to Charlie's lungeing for the last few weeks and Tori is teaching me to waltz with Charlie to attain shoulder in, leg yield and neck dislocation (mine) as I fumble around with bit rings and reins looking in the direction we are going not at his feet to ensure they are moving where I want them.

So Tori is coming today at 12 for our last lesson prior to Charlie's trip to vets for checkup on Monday.

Cue phone call as I leave yard at 9.30 from the vets to say they can no longer do us on Monday would wednesday be ok then swiftly follow up that Ian Camm (aka God) is coming out between 11 and 12 for another livery and could check Charlie as well.
 

This surprised me as I thought we had to go to the clinic but apparently not its because Ollie Crowe does surgery not yard visits. Pushing my luck I agreed hoping that my lesson and the vet check wouldn't run in parallel.

You can ride

Ian prodded and poked Charlie and announced "its all looking good you can put a saddle on him and he can start ridden work. Who is going to do it?"

Blimey I had never ever considered I wouldn't be first on so I said "ME".

Perfect planning
 

Anticipating the chance of a yes to ridden work I had arrived prepared with riding boots plus saddle in the boot and it was perfect timing for us. Tori and I spent his lesson lungeing him in his saddle and then did some groundwork with a recalcitrant bendy man indicating a lack of enthusiasm for moving his shoulders or quarters as indicated by us.

Finally the moment arrived the last 10 minutes of the lesson we did some hearty saddle thumping and patting and Tori gaily threw her mobile phone and gloves into the sand as she, somehow , considered this better then leaning over him with them in her pocket. 

Life being what it is, at just about the point we were going to get me on board, there was a horrendous crash above us an accident on the road outside and Charlie....... Did nothing just gawped. I gingerly got on board,my god it was a long way up and I forgot how wide he was. We had a lovely little walk around Tori advising me not to use any legs just treat him like a baby and sit still.

So that is the plan for January treat him like a baby just broken horse which I will do of course bbecause he is my baby. I am so pleased with him I may have to buy him more stuff so the search begins for Burgundy brushing  boots and maybe something in the bridle line as he only has one ;)